Written by: Chanel Stracey, Designer
Last month, I, along with other members of Coley’s STEAM team (our social team), took the afternoon out to visit the Taste of London festival in Regent’s Park and check out the latest food and drink trends, brands and immersive experiences on offer.
Launched in 2004, Taste of London is the UK’s biggest food and drink festival. The event descends on the city every summer for five days, showcasing the best food and drinks with 36 restaurants, 50 chefs and 150 artisan producers represented on site.
The festival had a real buzz about it – a feeling of togetherness from a mix of many known and loved brands alongside new and exciting ones, all promoting their products, flavours and a few cheeky taste testers thrown in.
One of our highlights was discovering the Belazu tent with its open kitchen and bar alongside their very own herb and flower garden. Belazu specialises in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern products that add vibrancy to any dish. It was a great way to kick back, relax and enjoy the sun, surrounded by the herb garden and all the beautiful aromas to inspire new dishes as well as fresh takes on culinary classics.
Given the wide brand presence, we expected there to be more standout immersive experiences and storytelling. Nevertheless, a lot of the brands featured light touches of immersive in their spaces to engage newcomers as well as retain loyal consumers. Illy used an Italian backdrop and motorbike installation to play into its provenance whilst Aperol created a summery, festival atmosphere by dialling up their core brand assets.
Overall, it was a great afternoon out of the office and the perfect opportunity to try new food and drink brands, and we look forward to seeing what next year has to offer!
